Employment Law
Employment Lawyers in Kentucky
Today, Americans are working harder than ever. They’re putting in more time at the office, often exceeding the standard 40-hour workweek that used to exist. With the capability to telecommute, they may clock even more hours because they’re checking their emails and phones outside of the 9-5 workday. An increasingly connected world, rising costs of living and the pressure to excel are all contributing to a work-centric culture.
With all those employees working more than ever before, employers need to be vigilant about following employment law. Whether they’re in the public or private sector, they have to make sure they’re compliant with certain rules and regulations or else they open themselves up to lawsuits. Employers must have guidelines and processes in place so that if an employee decides to take legal action, they will be able to show they were following the law and properly defend themselves.
How Can an Employment Lawyer Help Employers?
While human resources departments are responsible for ensuring the right guidelines and processes are in effect, employers should also hire employment lawyers just to make sure workplaces are keeping to the law.
Hiring an employment attorney is a good move because human resources departments may not be aware of all the legalities that go into running a place of business. They might not be up to date on the latest laws, for instance. Changes in employment law happen fast, and what applies today could be completely different tomorrow. Human resources professionals are notoriously swamped with work, especially if people are working more hours and navigating remote work since that comes with its own set of issues.
Human resources professionals are human and could make mistakes, which could have a very negative impact on a company’s bottom line. Employers will be susceptible to legal action if they aren’t running their businesses properly. If employees seek damages from an injury or another problem that happens in the workplace, a business may be forced to shut down or declare bankruptcy in order to pay the plaintiff.
Employers can turn to employment lawyers when they need help with day-to-day issues like hiring and firing employees, writing and revising employee handbooks, ensuring they are compliant with state and federal laws, providing workers’ compensation, handling harassment claims at work, and much more. They can keep an employment attorney on retainer so that they can ask questions whenever they come up or reach out for help on an as-needed basis. It all depends on their unique needs and issues that come up over time.
How Adams Law Can Help
The employment attorneys at Adams Law help public and private with all their legal employment needs. We’re here to offer you assistance with:
- Developing and maintaining personnel policies. We will come up with policies that are fully compliant with the law and revise them as necessary. For example, our employment lawyers will work hand in hand with employers to develop policies for hiring employees, onboarding them, and letting them go if necessary. No matter what employers have to do, we will ensure it is completely in line with the law.
- Creating and maintaining employee handbooks. Employees need guidance on what is expected of them in the workplace as well as knowledge of what their employers will provide to them. An employee handbook will detail the rules of the workplace, tell employees what their employers will provide for them, and include sexual harassment and sensitivity training. It will show employees what is expected of them and what is proper conduct in the workplace. If an employee tries to bring about a lawsuit, a comprehensive handbook can work in the employer’s favor and defense.
- Ensuring employers are compliant with local, state, and federal regulations. For example, we make sure employers are not discriminating against candidates by posting up non-inclusive job listings and that they are following payroll rules and providing employees with proper wages and benefits.
- Constructing employee benefits plans. In order to stay competitive and attract quality candidates, workplaces need to offer a solid benefits package. We can advise employers on which benefits are crucial to include like healthcare, 401(k) matching, commuter benefits, sick time and vacation time, and more.
- Counseling and defending client claims. Employees may make claims involving ADA, FMLA, OSHA, workers’ compensation statutes, and other federal and state statutes that address workplace matters. We can defend employers in these cases.
- Assisting with federal and state wage and hour law issues and claims. If employees claim they were not given enough hours to work or paid a fair wage for their services, then we can represent employers and help them defend themselves.
- Representing employers before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and state human rights agencies if there is any question that employers are not providing equal opportunities to their employees.
- Providing representation for grievance and arbitration hearings under collective bargaining agreements.
- Collective bargaining on behalf of clients, including strategic planning and acting as spokesperson. Our employment attorneys can ensure employers and employees reach agreements that both are satisfied with so they can get back to business and move forward.
- Counseling on issues related to strikes or lockouts and providing related litigation support. Then, businesses can get up and running again as soon as possible.
Our employment lawyers have worked in conjunction with our firm’s commercial litigation group to defend clients in federal and state courts as well as federal and state administrative enforcement proceedings against various labor and employment claims. At Adams Law, we try to solve matters swiftly through mediation or alternative methods, but we are prepared to go to trial if the situation calls for it.
The public sector maybe a little more complicated than the private sector, but we’re prepared to help. We provide services to local, state, and federal governments, agencies, departments, and boards in the public sphere. Employees that work in government have specific rights that they do not have in the private sector, so public employers need special assistance navigating all these rights, rules, and regulations.
Our employment attorneys can help with public sector issues like guiding them through issues involving pre-deprivation and post-deprivation termination hearings, tribunals, mandatory disciplinary procedures, such as the Policeman Bill of Rights, civil service laws, First and Fourteenth Amendment considerations, and whistleblower claims.
Since public sector employers are typically subject to Open Records laws, we will provide legal advice to our clients when responding to Open Records requests in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. We counsel our clients on what is subject to disclosure, the manner in which it is disclosed, and the exemptions that operate to protect confidential information. We regularly litigate Open Records disputes in court.
Public employers’ discretionary spending is limited by state and federal statutes and state and federal constitutional provisions, so we counsel our public sector clients on the proper expenditure of monies for employee fringe benefits and bonuses. We also keep them up to date on the requirements of these laws and notify them when there are changes to these laws. Our employment lawyers also help draft and implement personnel policies and procedures and procurement policies and procedures that are in line with different local, state, and federal regulations and laws, as well as the court decisions interpreting them.
At Adams Law, our employment attorneys are knowledgeable of the intricacies of the various laws of governmental immunity, which shield both public sector employers and employees from civil tort claims seeking monetary damages asserted by third persons.
We guide our public sector clients through litigation and defend you against claims that arise. Since we have many years of experience in this area and know how to navigate the laws, most of the litigation that we defend on behalf of public sector employers are dismissed before it ever reaches a jury, saving employers time, money and energy.
Working with Adams Law
Adams Law has been around for more than 125 years. During this time, we’ve learned that the most important thing is to put the client first… always. We are here for our clients whenever they have a question or concern, and we work efficiently so we can avoid litigation and lengthy court cases if possible. We are transparent about cases and will guide public and private sector employers through every step, so they are clear about the services we are providing.
With Adams Law on your side, you can ensure your workplace – whether it’s public or private – will be fully compliant with local, state, and federal laws. We will do everything in our power to protect you from possible lawsuits and legal action and help you make your workplace a productive and healthy environment for everyone involved.
If you are in need of an employment attorney and you are interested in working with Adams Law, you can contact us at (859) 394-6200 or [email protected]. We provide legal services to public and private sector entities in Northern Kentucky as well as Greater Cincinnati. Reach out today to get started and ensure your workplace is protected.